COLUMBUS, OH--(Marketwired - October 27, 2014) - KIPP Columbus today announced a transformational lead donation from Battelle that will kick-start construction of a revolutionary, standalone science center adjacent to the new KIPP Columbus campus on Agler Road.

KIPP Columbus
Executive Director Hannah Powell announced the $3 million donation at an Open House for the new 124-acre development on the former site of the Bridgeview Golf Course. KIPP Columbus opened this past August.

"The generosity of Battelle and its commitment to KIPP and our mission has been overwhelming," Powell said. "We are driven to provide a safe, nurturing and accelerated learning environment where our KIPPsters can pursue their best selves. For many, their futures may lay in the natural sciences and this building will be invaluable to their development."

KIPP, the Knowledge is Power Program, was founded in 1994 in Houston, Texas and the Columbus program started with KIPP Journey Academy in Linden in 2008. Focused on helping students "climb the mountain to and through college," the KIPP program embraces longer school days, high quality teachers, extracurricular activities, and a safe and structured environment.

Funding for the new science center marks the continuation of Battelle's long-running support for education. Throughout the development of this Kipp Columbus school, Battelle's staff have provided training and advice to the KIPP Columbus team. Earlier this summer, Battelle announced that $300,000 of the grant will be used to fund a Teaching Fellowship Program to train new STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) teachers. With completion of the science center, currently dubbed the Center for Creativity and Innovation, KIPP students and Columbus kids visiting from other schools will have a new place to experience hands-on learning.

"As a company, we're motivated by the desire to learn more about how the world works and how to use knowledge to solve problems," said Dr. Jeffrey Wadsworth, CEO of Battelle. "Schools like KIPP Columbus help inspire that passion in the next generation of American innovators. I am delighted that we are part of the future of this terrific Columbus institution."

Just two months ago, KIPP Columbus welcomed more than 600 students and their families to the new KIPP Columbus Campus. At more than 140,000 square feet, the state of the art facility is home to KIPP Columbus Middle School, as well as the first ever KIPP Columbus elementary school.

But perhaps what makes KIPP the ideal location for leveraging STEM learning with a state-of-the-art science center is its picturesque and natural surroundings. Rolling hills, extensive green space and proximity to Alum Creek, all provide opportunities for students to study scientific concepts, natural habitats and a variety of plants and animals.

The science center is expected to open in 2016 and Massachusetts-based Flansburgh Architects will design the facility. They have an international portfolio focused on public and private educational facilities.

Columbus-based Daimler Group, which served as General Contractors for the new KIPP campus, will be the construction team for the Science Center.

In 2017, the campus will be home to another first, the KIPP Columbus high school. By 2020, the K-12 campus will allow for more than 2,000 students to receive a quality education.

About KIPPKIPP (the Knowledge is Power Program) is a national network of free, open enrollment charter schools with a track record of preparing students in underserved communities for success in life and college. Opened in Columbus in 2008, KIPP Columbus has provided access to transformational education for hundreds of children grades 5-8. A new KIPP campus is set to open with the 2014-2015 school year, which will expand the school to include elementary and eventually a high school with a goal of reaching 2,000 students in Kindergarten through 12th grade by the end of the decade.

About BattelleEvery day, the people of Battelle apply science and technology to solving what matters most. At major technology centers and national laboratories around the world, Battelle conducts research and development, designs and manufactures products, and delivers critical services for government and commercial customers. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio since its founding in 1929, Battelle serves the national security, health and life sciences, and energy and environmental industries. For more information, visit www.battelle.org.